Lowest Career ERA in MLB History: All-Time Leaders

Career

Includes the 2026 season through October 9, 2026

This board follows the record MLB adopted in 2024, when the statistics of the seven recognised Negro Leagues (1920–1948) became part of the official record. Because a Negro Leagues season ran roughly 69 games to the American and National Leagues’ 149, the career qualification is prorated from 3,000 at-bats to 1,389 for careers played mainly in those leagues, and from 400 plate appearances to 185 for a single Negro Leagues season. The all-time AL & NL board uses the traditional 3,000-at-bat rule and excludes Negro Leagues records.

As of October 9, 2026, the all-time leader in ERA is Ed Walsh with 1.82. Addie Joss is second with 1.89 and Jim Devlin is third with 1.90. This page ranks the top 100 players in ERA.

ERA (Earned Run Average):
Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.

Data updated

Ed Walsh holds the all-time MLB career ERA record with a 1.82 ERA, ahead of Addie Joss (1.89) and Jim Devlin (1.90).

Rankings cover the top 100 qualifying players (a minimum of 1,000 career innings pitched).

These rankings combine AL/NL and Negro Leagues statistics (1920–1948), which MLB recognized as major league in 2020 — 4 of the 100 players listed here have Negro Leagues seasons counted in their totals.

Top 10 ERA

Career. Click a bar to view the player.

Lowest Career ERA in MLB History: All-Time Leaders (AL/NL + Negro Leagues Combined)
Rank Player ERA Trend
1 Ed Walsh 1.82
2 Addie Joss 1.89
3 Jim Devlin 1.90
4 Jack Pfiester 2.02
5 Smoky Joe Wood 2.03
6 Mordecai Brown 2.06
7 John Ward 2.10
T-8 Christy Mathewson 2.13
T-8 Al Spalding 2.13
10 Tommy Bond 2.14
11 Rube Waddell 2.16
12 Walter Johnson 2.17
13 Mariano Rivera 2.21
T-14 Orval Overall 2.23
T-14 Jake Weimer 2.23
T-16 Ed Reulbach 2.28
T-16 Babe Ruth 2.28
T-16 Will White 2.28
19 Jim Scott 2.30
20 Reb Russell 2.33
T-21 Andy Coakley 2.35
T-21 Eddie Plank 2.35
23 Larry Corcoran 2.36
T-24 Eddie Cicotte 2.38
T-24 Ed Killian 2.38
T-24 George McQuillan 2.38
T-27 Harry Coveleski 2.39
T-27 Doc White 2.39
T-29 Candy Cummings 2.42
T-29 Carl Lundgren 2.42
T-29 Nap Rucker 2.42
T-32 Joe Benz 2.43
T-32 George Bradley 2.43
T-32 Terry Larkin 2.43
T-32 Jim McCormick 2.43
T-32 Jeff Tesreau 2.43
37 Charles Bender 2.46
T-38 Sam Leever 2.47
T-38 Lefty Leifield 2.47
T-38 Hooks Wiltse 2.47
T-41 Bob Ewing 2.49
T-41 Hippo Vaughn 2.49
T-43 Ray Collins 2.51
T-43 Cy Morgan 2.51
45 Hoyt Wilhelm 2.52
46 Clayton Kershaw 2.53
47 Lew Richie 2.54
T-48 Noodles Hahn 2.55
T-48 Frank Owen 2.55
T-48 George Zettlein 2.55
T-51 Pete Alexander 2.56
T-51 Slim Sallee 2.56
53 Joe Williams NgL 2.57
T-54 Russ Ford 2.59
T-54 Deacon Phillippe 2.59
T-54 Frank Smith 2.59
57 Ed Siever 2.60
T-58 Cherokee Fisher 2.61
T-58 Bob Rhoads 2.61
60 Fred Glade 2.62
T-61 Red Ames 2.63
T-61 Tim Keefe 2.63
T-61 Barney Pelty 2.63
T-61 Vic Willis 2.63
T-61 Cy Young 2.63
T-66 Nick Altrock 2.65
T-66 Claude Hendrix 2.65
T-66 Jack Taylor 2.65
T-69 Willie Foster NgL 2.66
T-69 Joe McGinnity 2.66
T-69 Dick Rudolph 2.66
T-69 Pete Schneider 2.66
T-73 Charlie Ferguson 2.67
T-73 Carl Weilman 2.67
T-75 Jack Chesbro 2.68
T-75 Cy Falkenberg 2.68
T-75 Johnny Lush 2.68
T-75 Old Hoss Radbourn 2.68
T-79 Bill Donovan 2.69
T-79 Fred Toney 2.69
T-81 Larry Cheney 2.70
T-81 Vean Gregg 2.70
T-83 Dick McBride 2.71
T-83 Mickey Welch 2.71
85 Ned Garvin 2.72
T-86 Nick Cullop 2.73
T-86 Jacob deGrom 2.73
T-86 Fred Goldsmith 2.73
T-86 Bob Wicker 2.73
T-90 Harry Howell 2.74
T-90 Juan Padrón NgL 2.74
T-90 Bullet Rogan NgL 2.74
T-93 Howie Camnitz 2.75
T-93 Whitey Ford 2.75
T-93 Roy Patterson 2.75
T-93 Luther Taylor 2.75
T-97 Babe Adams 2.76
T-97 Sandy Koufax 2.76
T-97 Dutch Leonard 2.76
T-97 Dan Quisenberry 2.76

Reading the career ERA board (combined view)

The final row on this board, rank T-97, is held at 2.76. By decade, the 1910s and 1900s are the best represented, while the list as a whole spans the 1870s through the 2020s. The largest tie on the board is at T-32, where Joe Benz, George Bradley, Terry Larkin, and Jim McCormick and others share 2.43. Ed Walsh leads at 1.82. Second place belongs to Addie Joss, at 1.89. Rows marked NgL come from the Negro Leagues; the first of them, 53rd, is Joe Williams at 2.57.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has the lowest career ERA (a minimum of 1,000 career innings pitched)?
Ed Walsh — a 1.82 ERA, among qualifying players (a minimum of 1,000 career innings pitched). Next are Addie Joss (1.89) and Jim Devlin (1.90).
What was Ed Walsh's career ERA?
Ed Walsh posted a 1.82 ERA — the lowest mark on this leaderboard.
Who else ranks in the top 5 for career ERA?
1. Ed Walsh (1.82); 2. Addie Joss (1.89); 3. Jim Devlin (1.90); 4. Jack Pfiester (2.02); 5. Smoky Joe Wood (2.03).
Do these ERA rankings include the Negro Leagues?
Yes. MLB recognized the Negro Leagues (1920–1948) as major league in 2020, so their statistics are ranked alongside AL/NL records here — 4 of the 100 players listed here have Negro Leagues seasons counted in their totals.